Body-catch for caskets or the like.



No. 874,502. PATENTED DEC. 24, 1907. L. W. HARRIS M. PARKER.

' BODY CATCH FOR 0 TS OR THE LIKE.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS \V. HARRIS AND WILLIAM M. PARKER, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 24L, 1907.

Application filed August 21.1907. Serial No. 389,457.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LEWIS W. I-IARRIs and VVILLIAM M. PARKER, citizens of the United States, both residing in the city of Richmond, in the county of Wayne and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Body-Catches for Caskets or the Like, of which the following is a full and. accurate specification, being such as will enable others skilled in the art to which the invention relates" to make and use the same with absolute exactitude.

Our present invention relates to improved means for detachably securing together the meeting edges of casket bodies and their lids or covers, and the objects of our invention, broadly speaking, is to provide body-catches for caskets or the like which will be strong and durable in construction, easily operated and controlled, which will be pleasing in appearance, and which can be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low price.

More specifically stated our object is to provide catches for caskets and their lids which will be simple in character and which may be inserted and secured in operative position with a minimum amount of time and labor devoted thereto.

Other objects and particular advantages of our invention willv be brought out in the course of the ensuing specification, and the particular features which are new will be pointedout in the appended claims terminating this specification.

The preferred manner for carrying out the objects of our invention, and that which in practice has been found to be the most desirable, is shown most clearly in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section of portions of the side and of the lid of a casket, showing the side and lid separated, and also showing the members'of the catches separated. Fig. 2 is the same as Fig. 1 except that the side and top are shown in contact with each other, and the catches are shown in looking engagement with their respective members. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the lower or contact edge of one side of the casket-top, showing the members of the catches secured together. And Fig. 4 is a plan view of the upper edge of one side of the casket.

Similar reference characters denote like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In order that our invention may be more fully understood and its advantages be fully appreciated we will now take up a detail description thereof, in which we will set forth the construction and operation of the inven tion as briefly and as compactly as we may.

Referring to the drawings,the charac ers A and A+ denote port-ions of the headt and foot, respectively, of one side of a casket lid or top. And the characters B and 13+ denote portions of the head and foot, respectively, of one side of the casket proper. It is to be presumed for convenience of description that Fig. 1 will show one side of a casket, and that Fig. 2 will show the other side of the same casket. The several parts of the catches which are referred-to as located on one side of the casket will be designated by certain characters, while like parts which are located on the opposite side of the casket will be designated by corresponding characters primed.

The numeral 1 denotes a plate which is let in flush with the edge of the lid and is permanently secured by a plurality of screws, aaa, as indicated. Integral with the forward edge of the plate 1, and extending rearward and downwardly at an angle therefrom, is a tongue formed by the two substantially half-round members 2 and 3 lying parallel with each other and connected at their outer lower ends by the loop 4. Said loop forms a spring which normally forces the said members slightly apart, as in Fig. 1. Extending forwardly from the upper (free) end of the member 3 is a plate 5, and extending out at right angles from the latter is the finger-hold 6 which is so arranged as to be in reach of the operator at the head of the easket when the casket is closed. In the forward end of the plate 5 is a segmental notch 5 as shown in Fig. 3, for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

Extending down through the edge of the side B is an aperture, formed on same angle as is said tongue, in which is fitted the thimble 7. Said thimble is formed from a single piece of sheet metal rolled into the form of a tube with its edges unconnected whereby the diameter of the thimble may be varied somewhat and by which it maybe caused to neatly fill the said aperture therefor by the resiliency of the material of which the thimble is formed. The upper end of said thimble is formed on an angle whereby it will correspond with the upper edge of the side B. Extending forward from the thimble 7 is a plate 8, which is parallel with and let in flush with the upper edge of the side B as shown. The plate 8 may be securedby the screw 9.

T he numeral 10 denotes a tooth which is struck up from the plate 8 and faces rearwards and is so positioned as to engage the notch 5 when the lid is secured, as in Fig. 2.

The numeral 11 denotes a plate which is let in flush with the edge of the lid where it is secured by a plurality of screws, bbb, as shown. Formed integral with the rear edge of the plate 11, and extending rearwards and downwards at an angle therefrom, is a tongue formed by the two substantially half-round members 12 and 13 lying parallel with each other and connected at their outer lower ends by the loop 14. Said loop forms a spring which normally forces the members 12 and 13' slightly apart.

Extending down through the edge of the side B+ is an aperture which is formed on same angle as is said tongue, in which is fitted the thimble 17. Said thimble is formed from a single piece of sheet metal rolled into the form of a tube with its edges so formed that the diameter of the tube may be varied and by which it may be caused to neatly fill the aperture therefor. The upper end of said thimble is formed on an angle whereby it will correspond with the upper edge of the side B Said thimble is retained in its aperture by the expansive resiliency of the material of which it is formed.

The operation of our invention is very simple.If for instance the casket employed be provided near its forward end with the devices shown on the left in the several views of the drawings, one complete device being located on each side; and that the casket be provided near its foot-end with the devices shown on the right in the several views of the drawings, one complete device being located on each side. The lid which carried the male members of the several catches may now be brought over the casket which carries the complementary female members of said catches. First placing the lid a little forward of its final operative position, to enter the tongues into their respective thimbles 7, 7, 17 and 17 Now by allowing the lid to assume its normal operative position it is apparent that it will move downward and rearwards, and when the lid contacts with the upper edge of the casket proper then the teeth 10 and 10 will have pressed up the respective plates 5 and 5 and said teeth will have entered the respective notches in the ends of the plates 5 and 5 thereby allowing the said plates to spring down each into engagement with its respective tooth 10 and 10 which will, manifestly, lock the lid positively in position as shown in Fi 2.

If it be desired to remove the lid then the operator has only to lift up on the finger-lifts 6 and 6 which will release the plates 5 and 5 each from its respective tooth 10 and 10 which will allow the lid to be moved upwards and forwards from connection with the body of the casket.

Having now fully shown and described our invention and the best means for its construction and operation to us known at this time, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentof the United States, is-

1. Body catches for caskets or the like, comprising a plurality of devices each comprising male and female members connected to the lid and the upper edge of the casket respectively, the male member composed of a plate secured to the lid, two half-round members integral with the plate and connected at their outer end by aspring loop and disposed at an angle to the lid, the female membercomprising a tube fitted in an aperture therefor in the edge of the casket and disposed at an angle corresponding with the angle of said tongues, a spring catch for the two forward devices to lock the lid in position, and means for releasing said catches when the lid is to be removed, all substantially as shown and described.

2. Means for securing casket-lids on caskets, a plurality of thimbles disposed at an angle in the edges of the casket, a tongue for each of said thimbles, said tongues being formed of two substantially half-round portions connected integrally by a loop, one of said members of the tongues being secured to the lid and the other being free to move, a plate carried by the free end of two of said tongues, a finger-hold extending out from each of said two plates, and a tooth to engage each of said plates, said teeth being rigidly connected to the casket body, all substantially as shown and described and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses R. V. RANDLE, R. E. RANDLE. 

